Back-band hook



(No Model.)

S. WARD.

BACK BAND HooK.

i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SE'IH WARD, OF PRINCETON, INDIANA.

BACK-BAND HOOK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 384,882,dated Jurre 19,1888.

Application tiled A pi il 30, 1888.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SETE WARD, a citizen of the United States, residingl at Princeton, in the county of Gibson and State of Indiana, have invented certai n new and useful Improvements in Back-Band Hooks, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying-drawings.

Myinvention has relation to certain new and useful improvements upon back-band hooks (or tracecarriers) and the method of securing the same to the back-bands of the harness; and the object I have in view is mainly to provide a simple and inexpensive device that will be eminentlypractical and positive in operation and at the same time very durable and strong, as will be more fully hereinafter stated.

The invention consists in certain novel features of construction, which will be more fully hereinafter specified, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, Figure 1 represents a side elevation of one end of a back-band with my improved hook applied to it; Fig. 2, a vertical sectional view of the same;

Fig. 3, a detail Vertical sectional view of the hook, and Fig. 4 an enlarged detail sectional view showing more vclearly the method I employ for securing the hook to the back-band.

Referring to the drawings by letter, A designates the improved hook, which :is cast or formed of a single piece of metal. This hook consists, essentially, of a horizontal cross-bar, B, through which the rivet-holes are formed for the purpose of securing the hook to the back-band, two converging side bars, G C, which are formed integral with the cross-bar B and depend from its lower edge, these two side bars being connected together at their lower ends by a curved rounded portion, D, and the strong tapering hook E, which is formed on the face of the portion D and is curved outward and upward, and then inward, terminating between the converging side bars, C C, as shown.

Formed on the inner vertical edgesof the side bars, C, settin g at right angles to the same, are the outwardly-projecting guardilanges F F, which extend nearly the entire length of the side bars, terminating ashort distance below the free end of the hook E. These guards Serial No. 272.338. (No model.)

have their outer edges or faces curved, as shown in Fig. 8, theirgreatest diameter being about in a horizontal plane with the free end of the hook E, as shown at a. From this highest point a the upper portions of these guards taper off gradually until they merge into the side bars. The portions below this highest point a of these guards curve somewhat more abruptly in toward the side bars, as shown. These guards not only form a seat for thelink of the chain and prevent it from being accidentally disengaged, but also serve to prevent the chain of the adjacent horse (when working in double harness) from becoming entangled in the hook E. They also, being curved and rounded, as shown, prevent chating of the adjacent horse-a great desideratum with a hook of this character, as they necessarily project out somewhat from the sides of the back-band.

Through the cross-bar B, I form the rivetholes, through which are passed the securingdepressions c, and around each hole on the face of the bar are formed the circular bosses d, which serve to strengthen the bar where it is weakened by the formation of the depression c on the opposite side of the bar. By this construction, when the rivets are inserted and clinched in the usual manner, (the upset portion of thetubular rivets being thereby forced slightly into the leathelg) the leather of the back-band will be forced into the circular depression c, as clearly shown in Fig. 4, forming a rounded depression, e, in the under side of the back-band. The peculiar advantage in this method of securing the hook to the band lies inthe fact that it will be impossible for the clinched ends ot' the rivets to chate or scratch the side of the horse, as is evident.

The letter G designates the end of a back- ICO ets b to pass through it in securing the hook to the band. By means of this Yprotectimgstrip I the end of the webbing G is protected and preventcdfrom unraveling, and it also affords a strong and durable support for the rivets, preventing them from being torn out by the pulling of the trace-chain.

Having thus fully described inyinvention, what I claim as new, und desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. As an improved article of mnnufactu re, a back-band hook formed of it single piece of metal and consisting of the crossbar B, provided With rivet-holes, the depending converging side bars, G, connected by the rounded portion D, the guards F, formed upon the inner Vertical edges ofthe said side bars and extending nearlytheir entire length, these guards being curved on their outer edges, as described, and the hook E, formed on the face of the con necting portion D and terminati ng between the anges about on a horizontal line with their highest portions, substantially as herein set forth.

2. As an improved article of manufacture, a back-band hook constructed of a single piece of metal and consisting of the cross-bar B, provided With rivetholes, the depending side bars provided with guards and connected together by portion D, and the hook E, the said crossbar B being provided with circular depressions c in its under side and circular bosses d on its'face, these depressions and bosses surrounding the rivet-holes in the crossbars, as and for the purposes herein set forth.

In testimony whereof I nfx my signature in presence of two witnesses.

SETH VARD.

Witnesses:

W. F. CRAIG, ABRAHAM GUDGEL. 

